All's Fair
by LockmanCapulet
Summary: Tired of Juvia's constant clinging and obsession, Gray does what any sensible man in his position would do to get rid of her: ask her on a date. It goes just as one may expect; then again, maybe it goes as one may never have expected. When others decide to make Gray's business their business, they all learn the hard way that all's fair in this game of love, war, and fruity deserts.
1. The Bet

**A/N:**

**Thanks for all the kind words thus far, everyone! This is my first piece of Fairy Tail fanfic, and admittedly my first try at writing romance~**

**Expect a total of five chapters. I'm not sure how long each one will be. I have a feeling Chapter 2 will be somewhat shorter than this, but we'll see. And if there's a particular character you want to see, fear not! In coming chapters, the entire main cast and several secondary characters will appear (especially next chapter)!**

**I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make everyone's dialogue in-character, but I guess I did alright! Please feel free to say so if you think anything seems contrary to the canon or established characters' behavior!**

**EDIT: Revised 8-06-14. Chapter 2 should be up in a few days.**

**All's Fair**

**By LockmanCapulet**

**Chapter 1: The Bet**

* * *

Gray Fullbuster sighed contentedly. Sitting peacefully in Fairy Tail's guild hall, he leaned back against the table on his elbows, facing the bar. He had a fresh fruit smoothie in hand, and was enjoying every sip of it (something he honestly hadn't expected). Perhaps it was Mira's unbelievable cooking ability, or simply the serenity of the day that made the drink so refreshing. Having just arrived home from a four-day solo mission a few hours prior, he planned to take the rest of that afternoon and the following Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. It was supposed to be the perfect weekend to take it easy.

Keyword "supposed".

As he took another swig of his smoothie, Gray heard the guild hall doors open behind him over the murmur of idle chat from among the guild members. Normally he would have thought nothing of it, but the slow creaking sound was quickly followed by a noise that sent chills up even the Ice Mage's spine:

"_Oh Graaaaay-saaamaaaaa!_"

Refusing to turn around, Gray set down his drink and formed a moderate layer of ice around its base, which would prevent it from being knocked over when Juvia aggressively tackle-hugged her beloved Gray-sama to the floor mere seconds later. The impact created a mushroom cloud of Gray's clothing, which scattered a few feet in every direction. Fortunately for the other guild members, his underpants had somehow stayed on.

The love-struck Water Mage continued to coo at Gray as he stood up and returned to the table, grabbing a few pieces of clothing as he went. He had come to master the art of maintaining his full range of motion even with one obsessive Juvia Loxar clamped firmly around his torso. Pulling his pants and one sock back on, Gray unfroze his drink from the table, downed it all in one gulp, and set the glass back down. He sat down again, with Juvia moving into a more comfortable seated position next to him while maintaining her grip.

"Oh how Juvia has missed Gray-sama so! Juvia has been so lonely these past four days, seven hours, forty-three minutes and twenty seconds!" On and on she rambled. Gray did his best to tune her out, but after several minutes he became slightly self-conscious of the attention she was giving him, oblivious to the fact that no one else in the guild hall paid them any mind, having grown accustomed to Juvia's… _eccentric_ behavior.

Gray attempted to ease the tension only he felt by starting a conversation. Though he had already been filled in on the latest events by Mira, he asked, "So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

Juvia immediately cut off her praises to answer Gray's question. "Oh, Juvia can think of many interesting things! Not a few hours after Gray-sama left for his mission, a new shipment of 'Gajeel and Pantherlily' figurines arrived for the guild's gift shop…"

Juvia began to describe every little event she had witnessed in the past four days, from a broken floorboard being replaced to Natsu evaporating the whole swimming pool, and Gray knew his idea had backfired.

* * *

Nearby, Lucy was chatting with Wendy and Carla about the latest issue of _Sorcerer _magazine. Wendy was commenting on an article discussing comparisons of healing magic between different elements and classes of Mages, and Lucy couldn't help but be impressed with the young Dragon Slayer. Wendy clearly knew her stuff.

Lucy happened to glance at Gray as he squirmed the slightest bit in his seat. Juvia was clamped firmly around his (shirtless, as usual) midsection and was clearly babbling excitedly about something or other, probably her love for Gray. Knowing how tiring Juvia's antics could be, Lucy took it upon herself to allow him his long-awaited weekend off.

"Hey Juvia, come here for a second!" she called. Immediately, Juvia snapped to attention, stood up, apparently begged for "Gray-sama" to excuse her momentarily, and made her way to where Lucy and Wendy sat.

Juvia answered, "Juvia is here! What can Juvia do for Lucy-san?"

In response, Lucy opened her copy of _Sorcerer_ and held it out to Juvia. "Did you see the article about Healing Magic in this month's _Sorcerer_?"

* * *

As Gray finished redressing, he mentally noted that he'd have to thank Lucy later. He picked up his glass again and was about to take another swig when he realized he had chugged the entire smoothie earlier. Shrugging to himself, he made his way to the bar and set his mug down with a _clunk_.

"Hey Mira, how 'bout another of your fruit smoothies?" he asked in a laid-back yet friendly tone. There was an unspoken rule that everyone, even less-than-friendly individuals like Gajeel or Laxus, was to be completely amicable when ordering food or drink from Mirajane. Everyone in the guild followed it, and it was enforced only by the common knowledge of Mira's terrifying power.

Mira happily took his mug from the bar and refilled it from a pitcher kept in an icebox under the counter. As she handed the fresh smoothie to him, Gray took the glass, spun around on his stool, and once again downed it in one swallow. The notable _gulp_ing sound he made drew the attention of Levy, who sat just to his left with her nose in a book, and Erza, who sat a few seats to his right gleefully eating a rather large slice of strawberry cake.

Gray swallowed the last of the drink and exhaled loudly. He turned back around and glanced at the gawking stare of Levy, the inquisitive cocked-eyebrow of Erza, and the humorously surprised wide eyes of Mira in turn. Finally, he looked down at his once-again-empty mug and blushed slightly. He sheepishly placed it gently back on the counter. "Um… another one?" he asked with a slight embarrassed chuckle, scratching the back of his head.

Mira slowly picked up the mug and, after a moment's hesitation, began to refill it with smoothie. Levy was the first to object. "Gray, that mug must be at LEAST a half-gallon, and you've had two already! Don't make yourself sick!"

Erza placed her hand on her chin thoughtfully. She closed her eyes and, after a moment of thought, concluded, "This is admittedly better than Cana's condition. Alcoholism is one thing, but a smoothie addiction shouldn't be detrimental to missions." She nodded, as though agreeing with herself.

Gray face-palmed. "Thank you for your concern for my well-being."

Mira placed the mug, which she only filled halfway this time, back on the counter. "Gray, is something the matter? You seem… stressed."

Gray sighed. He looked back over toward Lucy, Wendy, Carla, and Juvia, and found them exiting the guild hall through a side door. Juvia was excitedly contributing to the girls' conversation. Knowing the obsessive Water Mage was well out of earshot, he answered, "…Juvia."

All three women leaned in, their interest piqued. Erza slid to the open seat next to Gray, bringing her cake along with her. Not wanting them to get the wrong idea, and deciding to get his thoughts out, Gray continued, "I'm starting to get fed up with Juvia always being clingy and flirty and calling me-"

"GRAAAAAY!" an all-too-familiar Dragon Slayer's voice yelled. Natsu had just burst into the guild hall, his fist cloaked in flame. Behind him flew Happy, who was finishing off a fish, presumably left over from dinner.

"Ugh. Mira, could I see that platter behind you for a second?" Gray groaned then asked. Mira obligingly turned around picked up the platter, setting aside a bowl that had been resting on it.

Natsu spotted Gray at the bar and began marching toward him. "Gray! I just ate dinner and I'm all fired up! Let's have a REAL fight this time!" he called. No one in the guild paid him any mind, as usual.

Gray took the platter as Mira handed it to him. He looked at his reflection in the metal for a moment, taking the time to pick a speck of strawberry out of his teeth.

Breaking into a full charge, Natsu vaulted off of a table toward Gray, who still had his back to the Fire Mage. Natsu shouted, "Here I come, Gray! FIRE DRAGON'S IRON-"

Gray casually held up the platter over and behind his left shoulder. Natsu smacked face-first into it, causing a gong-like sound to echo through the hall. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look, but seeing that it was only Natsu making a fool of himself again, they paid no heed and went about their business.

Natsu hung motionless for a moment before slumping to the floor. "Fire Dragon's Iron Platter," Levy remarked.

"Fire Dragon's Irony," Mira added.

Happy immediately flew over to Natsu and (did his best to) help him up. "Natsu..." he groaned, half-annoyed and half-concerned. Natsu barely managed to make it to a nearby table before blacking out completely.

Gray handed the platter back to Mira, saying, "Thank you very much." Mira took it from him and began to polish the smudges it had received. She would have to ask Gajeel later to reshape it for her, as a shallow, vaguely face-shaped dent was left in it. Gray continued, "Now, where was I?"

"'Juvia always being clingy and flirty and calling you…'" Erza offered.

Gray nodded. "Right, thank you." He immediately resumed his stressed-out attitude. "Juvia always being clingy and flirty and calling me '_Gray-sama_' and I am at my wits' end!" he finished, mimicking Juvia's pet name for him.

"I've never seen her get to you like this before, Gray," Mira replied sympathetically. "You usually do a good job of ignoring her."

"Yeah, but she's broken down my defenses. Lately she just seems more and more annoying, even though she's been no more or less psychotic than usual." Gray took a sip from his smoothie, stopping himself before he chugged it again. "What I need is a way to get her off my back."

An idea struck Levy. She asked, "So what you're saying is… you want her to stop trying to win you over?"

"Exactly!" Gray snapped his fingers as he spoke.

Levy, Mira, and Erza exchanged knowing looks. Erza said, "Then do what I told you before. Give her a straight answer."

Gray shook his head. "I've told her no before, but she won't stop trying until she succeeds."

Mira giggled and replied, "You're exactly right, Gray. She won't stop trying until she succeeds." She winked at him knowingly.

Gray thought about what she said. "Wait… are you saying…?"

All three women nodded and spoke in unison. "Ask her out!"

Gray laughed for a few seconds before he realized they were serious. "…you're not kidding?"

"Of course not!" Levy chimed. "I don't kid with anyone when it comes to romance."

"Oh yeah?" Gray retorted. "How are things with Gajeel then?"

Levy turned bright red and looked away. "…I-I-I don't kn-know what you're t-talking about!"

_Doesn't kid anyone but herself,_ Gray smirked.

"It's not just us," Mira explained. "A lot of people in the guild think you guys should be a couple."

Gray scoffed at this remark. "Hah! Yeah right."

Not one to be proven wrong, Erza stood up, walked to where Natsu was recovering, and picked him up by the scruff of the neck. "Natsu, Happy, come here a second," she commanded. Happy spread his wings and followed her as she brought Natsu back to her seat and shook him awake. "Do you two think Gray should ask Juvia on a date?"

Happy landed on the counter. "Aye sir!" he cheerfully replied. "They liiiiiiike each other!" he teased.

Natsu, having come to his senses, was puzzled by the question. "Wait, you mean they're not dating already?"

Mira laughed. "Correction: a lot of people in the guild think you ARE a couple!"

Gray groaned. "That's exactly what I'm trying to avoid!"

Erza crossed her arms sternly, recognizing that she _had_ technically just been proven wrong. She failed to notice that none of the others picked up on this technicality.

Natsu pulled up a chair so he could join the discussion. "Wait, so what are we talking about?"

Gray explained, "I'm trying to get Juvia off my back. But these three Cupids here think I should ask her out!"

Natsu scoffed. "I don't know a whole lot about this kinda stuff, but that seems counter… count-intu… uh, like the opposite of what you want to do."

"Counter-_intuitive_!" Happy corrected.

"Yeah, that!"

Gray waved his hand in the air toward Natsu. "Finally! Someone understands." He spun his stool around and rested his elbows on the bar and put his head in his hands.

Natsu chuckled. "Of course, if you _were_ to take her on a date, you'd probably screw it up so bad Juvia'd never talk to you again!" He burst out laughing. "Heck, she'd have to give you the _cold shoulder!_"

No one found Natsu's pun humorous, least of all Gray. He spun around, stood up, and angrily growled, "Say that again you little…" A dawning realization struck Gray. "…Natsu, say that again!"

Natsu stared at him, confused. "What, she'd give you the cold shoulder?"

Erza asserted, "Gray, that pun wasn't funny the first time, it's still not funny."

Gray pressed on. "No, before that!"

"Uh... that you'd screw up the date…?"

"And?!"

"Juvia wouldn't want to talk to you anymo…"

The same realization struck Natsu. Both he and Gray snapped their fingers and said, "THAT'S IT!"

Mira immediately picked up on what they meant. "Oh no. Gray, you can't ask her out then just act like a jerk on purpose the whole time!"

Levy added, "Not only is it wrong, but I somehow doubt you could do it. You're too nice. And honest."

Natsu hopped up and angrily pointed at her. "Is that a challenge?!"

Gray raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't _I_ be the one who feels challenged?"

Natsu ignored him and continued. "I'm willing to bet Gray could pull off my plan perfectly!"

Gray somehow raised his eyebrow higher. "_Your_ plan?"

Levy was sold. "Oh-ho, a bet? It's a deal then. If you win, and Juvia leaves Gray alone…" She looked to Mira for something to wager.

Mira held up a finger. "I'll make you all the gourmet fire-foods you want for _one month_."

Natsu grinned. "Sounds reasonable."

Erza said, "And if we win, and Gray and Juvia enjoy their date…"

Levy interjected, "You and Happy have to help us plan and prepare for their second date!"

Natsu scoffed. On the slim chance that he _did_ lose, what was the worst they could make him do? Make reservations at a restaurant? Set the table?

"You're on," he said smugly. He and Levy shook hands.

Happy piped up, "E-excuse me, I don't remember agreeing to this…"

Gray nodded in agreement. "Me neither…"

Levy and Natsu, still shaking hands, turned to glare at them. "NO ONE ASKED YOU!" They shouted in unison.

"Aye sir…" Gray and Happy responded dejectedly.

Levy and Natsu both leaned angrily toward Gray. "You had _better not screw. This. Up._"

Gray gulped. Quivering, he asked, "U-um, the plan… or the date?"

"YES!" Levy and Natsu screamed.

* * *

After Natsu and Levy calmed down, it was decided that Gray would ask Juvia on a date to a local ice cream shop on Friday morning, which was tomorrow. Gray would be allowed to act as natural or as deliberately repulsive as he was able to or so desired, so long as he didn't hurt Juvia's feelings. They would have their date that night, and assuming Natsu lost the bet, they would have all day Saturday and Sunday morning to plan a second date for Sunday night. After all the excitement, Gray decided to take an evening stroll beside one of Magnolia's canals to clear his head.

_Happy and I are unwittingly caught in the middle of a bet between Natsu and Levy. Erza will be constantly monitoring my behavior tomorrow. I'm actually_ _asking Juvia on a _date! _What could possibly go wrong?_ Gray half-sarcastically thought.

The half of him that wasn't thinking sarcastically was (though he'd never admit it) actually somewhat excited. He'd never been on a real date before, and while he had no romantic feelings for Juvia, he did see her as a loyal friend. What would prevent him from enjoying his time with her? Maybe if she saw how he really felt about her, she would accept it and they could just be friends.

...Who was he kidding? This was _Juvia Loxar_ he was talking about. She'd murder everyone in Fiore if she thought it would make him love her.

"Well, well! If it isn't my good fellow Gray!"

_Then again, murdering_ him_ might work._

Gray stiffly turned to face the subject of Juvia's imaginary crime. What was Lyon doing here? And in that ridiculous costume he called clothing?

Gray's fellow apprentice of Ul struck a pompous pose of greetings. "My old friend! How long has it been?"

"Not long enough," Gray muttered softly enough that Lyon couldn't hear him.

Lyon walked to Gray and placed a hand on his shoulder. Gray was still somewhat bothered by their height difference, even though Lyon was technically seven years older than him now. Lyon continued, "Why, I don't believe we've seen each other since the Grand Magic Games!"

Gray forced a laugh. Normally he and Lyon got along just fine. It was when the latter put on his air of importance that Gray couldn't stand him. "Yes, it has… _been a while,_" Gray replied half-heartedly. "What brings you to Magnolia?"

"What else? I am here… for _Juvia_," he said overdramatically, falling to one knee and reaching a hand in the general direction of the Fairy Tail building.

"Lyon, you lost that bet. Fairy Tail won the games. Juvia's staying here."

"Oh, tut tut, I would never dream of violating our deal! No, I come not to recruit, but to confess my love once more!" Lyon continued, standing back up. "I mean to take the lovely Miss Loxar… on a date!"

Gray wanted to face-palm. The way Lyon emphasized the word _date_ was possibly the stupidest noise he'd ever heard. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm asking her out tomorrow morning. Looks like you're too late," Gray grinned. It was oddly satisfying having the first claim to Juvia. No way was he going to let Lyon upstage him.

Lyon put a palm to his forehead. "_Zounds!_ My time is short! I must find her tonight if I am to show her how _she deserves to be treated_…" He put strange emphasis on the last five words while glaring at Gray.

Angrily, Gray put his left fist in his right palm, ready to Ice-Make Lance this haughty loser to Edolas and back. "Are you insinuating about me what I think you are?" he angrily demanded.

Lyon dropped his façade and mimicked Gray's battle stance. "You tell me," he said in a cocky voice.

Gray looked to the street on the far side of the canal. "Oh no, it's Juvia! I have to get to her before you can!" He dropped his battle stance and prepared to run.

A shocked Lyon also dropped his stance and turned around. "What?! Where?!" he shouted.

He was wide open. Gray charged forward and shoved Lyon as hard as he could, sending him tumbling into the canal with a loud _splash!_ By the time he resurfaced, the current had already carried Lyon twenty feet from the nearest loading platform where he could get out. "GRAY! I'll get you for this!" he shouted furiously. "THAT WAS A DIRTY MOVE!"

"I figured you could use a bath!" Gray called back. He began running back towards the guild hall. He needed to find Juvia tonight if he was to keep himself out of trouble with Levy, Natsu, and the rest.

"And besides, haven't you heard?" he continued, shouting over his shoulder. "All's fair in love and war!"


	2. Down to Business

**All's Fair**

**By LockmanCapulet**

**Chapter 2: Down to Business**

Lucy knew she had made a mistake. She had made a terrible, terrible mistake. Fear crept over her as the cold, harsh truth made itself clear to her. The two blue monsters before her were attempting to take from her something that could never be replaced: her ability to speak. As the creatures continued their diabolical operation, Lucy became all the more aware that her voice would never be heard again.

That is to say, ever since Lucy called Juvia over, she and Wendy hadn't let Lucy get a word in edgewise in their conversation.

Lucy hadn't thought it was possible for anyone to talk about anything this intensely for this long. She theorized that Wendy was somehow using her magic to reduce the blunettes' need to breathe, since neither had paused even once in the past hour and a half, except to let the other talk.

Cursing Wendy's book smarts which had earlier so impressed her, Lucy decided to make an attempt to change the topic. Picking something she knew Juvia would want to discuss, she waited until the moment Wendy finished speaking to promptly interject, "So Juvia, I've been meaning to ask, how are things with Gray?"

Juvia placed her hands on her cheeks and sighed dreamily at the mere mention of her beloved. "Juvia was so happy to see Gray-sama today when he finally came home! Juvia has missed him so…" She trailed off, no doubt fantasizing about something absurd happening.

Lucy smiled and shook her head. "That doesn't answer the question. How is your relationship? And I don't mean in your fantasies."

Juvia came to and thought for a moment. "Juvia supposes it is going well. As long as Juvia can be beside Gray-sama, she is happy!" The water mage bounced on her toes happily.

Wendy cheerfully piped up, "Has he asked you on a date?!"

After a moment of thought, Juvia's smile disappeared, and she turned away from Wendy, Carla, and Lucy and curled up in the fetal position. "No… Gray-sama has not…" she moaned. The other girls could practically feel the gloom radiating from her.

Suddenly, Juvia perked up again and turned back around, saying, "…but Juvia will not give up! Juvia knows that one day Gray-sama will realize that he and Juvia are meant to be!" She pumped both fists in the air and gazed toward the sky.

This outburst was met by uncomfortable silence from the other two girls and one cat.

The ever-sensible Carla decided to speak up. "Have you ever considered that Gray may not feel the sa…" Her statement was cut short when she noticed both Lucy and Wendy making desperate _stop talking_ gestures. However, the Exceed decided there was no point in sugarcoating the truth from the poor girl. She continued, "…that Gray may not feel the same way?"

Juvia looked confused. "But Gray-sama must at least feel something. Juvia has known since she first met Gray-sama!"

Before Lucy could ask what Juvia meant or Carla could press the issue further, Lucy spotted Gray approaching from her left, apparently out of breath from running. _Speak of the devil,_ she thought. The ice mage stopped a few yards behind where the girls stood, partially obscured by a tree. Only Lucy seemed to notice his arrival.

Gray put a finger to his lips, then pointed at Juvia and mouthed her name. Lucy guessed that he wanted to speak to her privately. Putting her hand on Wendy's shoulder, Lucy loudly said, "Well Juvia, I hate to cut our discussion short, but Wendy and Carla and I need to go do… things! And… stuff!"

A confused Wendy replied, "Lucy, what are you ta- MMF!"

Lucy grabbed Wendy by her left pigtail with one hand and placed the other over the young girl's mouth. "Oh Wendy, you are _such_ a kidder! Ahaha…ha…" she laughed awkwardly as she dragged Wendy away around the corner of the nearest building, with an exasperated Carla following behind.

A very confused Juvia was left standing alone under the orange evening sky. "Oh, um, Juvia will see Lucy and Wendy… later…?" She called and waved.

Gray chose this moment to approach. He nonchalantly cleared his throat to get the Water Mage's attention. All thought of Lucy acting strange was instantly lost at the sight of her beloved. "Gray-sama!" Juvia cheered, latching herself to Gray's right arm.

Gray simply rolled his eyes and decided to get down to business. "Juvia, I need to talk to you for a second."

Juvia, surprised by this statement, detached herself and gave Gray her full attention. _That was easy_, Gray thought. He took a deep breath and began. "Juvia, I-"

It was at this moment Gray realized he had forgotten something incredibly important.

He had absolutely no idea how to say this.

"Um, I, uh, I, I, uh…" Gibberish streamed out of Gray's mouth. Unsurprisingly, Juvia looked as though she was taking every syllable of it seriously. Gray knew he had to gain some composure and get this done. He shook his head and decided to take it slow. "Juvia, are you… free tomorrow evening?"

Juvia let out a tiny gasp. Anticipating where this conversation was going, she nodded and said, "Juvia has no plans for tomorrow! Does Gray-sama have anything in mind?"

Gray scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed. "Well, um… it's been kinda hot out lately, so I was thinking…" He had no idea where his sudden reluctance came from. Just moments ago he was raring to get this done!

"Yes?" Juvia asked slyly, inching closer.

"There's this really good ice cream place near the market, and…" Gray tried to reassure himself. _Come on! It's easy! Think of how bad it'll make Lyon look!_

"_Yesss?!_" Juvia was practically about to explode.

Gray clenched his fists. "…and I was wondering if you'd like to come with me. To get ice cream. If, you know, you want to." The Ice-Make Mage mentally face-palmed. He felt that he couldn't have made that more awkward if he wanted to.

Gray suddenly noticed that Juvia was biting her lip and looking away. _Not the reaction I expected_, he thought.

"Gray-sama, your pants..."

Gray looked down at himself. Sure enough, not only were his pants off, but his jacket, shirt, shoes, socks, and (dear Mavis) his underpants were missing as well. All that was left on his body was his pendant and his guild mark.

Never in his life was Gray more utterly _ticked_ at Ul for giving him that blasted habit.

"Aw, come on!" he cried. Fortunately, his clothes were all at his feet, so redressing was not an issue. In fact, Gray suspected he had just achieved a personal best time, clocking in at less than three seconds. When he finished, he turned back to Juvia. "Eh, um, s-sorry."

She looked back at him, a sense of slight relief on his face. Gray likewise exhaled in relief. It was reassuring to know that as much as this girl obsessed over him and enjoyed seeing him shirtless, she possessed at least some (distant) level of decency.

After a brief awkward silence, Gray even-more-awkwardly clapped his hands together. "So, where was I…?"

Juvia waved two fingers in a circle, as if to get his train of thought rolling. "Ice cream?"

Gray snapped his fingers. "Right! Yes. _That._ So. You, um… you in?"

Juvia playfully kept him going. "Is Juvia in for what?" she giggled.

Gray steeled himself and got it over with. "Would you like to go with me to get ice cream tomorrow evening? You know, nothing special, just a nice evening out."

A gentle breeze blew by. Neither Juvia nor Gray said a word for several moments as the realization of what had just happened dawned on them both. Yes, they both had seen it coming since the conversation started. Yes, Gray may have stripped nude while talking. But that didn't change the fact…

…that Gray had just asked Juvia out.

Gray's mind was reeling. _Holy crap, that just happened. Holy crap. Holy-_ "HOLY CRAP!" Gray shouted.

His cause for concern was the girl before him, who- with her eyes tightly shut and a massive, contented grin on her face- was melting. She managed a watery-sounding "Of course, Gray-samaaa…" before reducing to a large, grinning puddle on the brick walkway.

_Right, Water Body. Scared me half to death,_ Gray thought. He was reminded of the Cheshire Cat, the way Juvia's grin remained distinguishable in the puddle. "Alright, I'll pick you up from your place tomorrow around seven," he told Juvia, knowing she could still hear him.

The puddle only _blubbed_ in response. Figuring this to mean "Okay," Gray turned to walk home. "Alright, see you then," he called, waving over his shoulder.

Anyone looking at Gray rather than the puddle that was Juvia only moments before would have noticed the large grin plastered on his face. He had done it! He had actually done it! If he could somehow guarantee no one was watching, he might have jumped and clicked his heels.

As per his earlier agreement, he began to make his way back to the guild hall to report to his personal Cupids.

* * *

After dragging Wendy and Carla away, Lucy had managed to shoo them both off to their Fairy Hills apartment. She then watched Gray and Juvia's exchange unfold from around the corner- gasping to herself when she realized what was happening, averting her eyes when Gray somehow stripped, and choking back laughter when Juvia literally melted from glee. As Gray walked off, Lucy could barely contain her excitement for the couple.

Thinking of someone in particular who would definitely want to hear about this, Lucy began to make her way toward the guild's main building.

* * *

"I can't do this."

"Aye, you can!"

"No, I _really_ can't."

"Come on, it'll be fine!"

"Easy for you to say. This suit is _stifling!_"

"Just calm down. It's just a short-sleeved dress shirt. And we all know you're really looking forward to this."

"Okay, sure, a small part of me is looking forward to it. Another part wants to take off this 'dress shirt' and throw it in one of the canals, another part wants to move to Veronica for the rest of my life, and another part wants to punch Natsu in the gut and dog-ear all the pages in Levy's books!"

"Hey now!"

"**YOU WOULDN'T!**"

"That's enough! Gray, would it help if these three went on back to the guild?"

"Immensely."

One glare from Erza was enough to send Natsu, Happy, and Levy scrambling back to the guild hall with a terrified "Aye, sir!" They would have to wait until after the date to hear Erza's report. Now only she and Gray stood at Juvia's front door in Fairy Hills. It was Friday evening, and the time had come for Gray to begin the operation.

Knowing that her teammate was genuinely concerned, she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Gray forced a laugh. "I can't quite back out now, huh? It's just… I don't know how to act! I kind of want to try 'Natsu's plan' to get Juvia off my back- okay, I _really_ do- but I know it's wrong. I also really do value Juvia as a friend and guildmate, and I don't want to hurt her. Plus, I have Lyon to deal with…"

Erza smiled kindly. "I may have a biased stance in this wager, but I think you should let things run their course. If Juvia loses interest in you, then so be it. If not, who knows?" She gave him a slightly disconcerting wink before stepping out of sight. To begin her monitoring duties, she (somehow) produced a mirror on a long rod and peeked around the corner at Gray with it.

Bracing himself, adjusting his button-down shirt's collar, and taking a deep breath, Gray knocked on the door. He heard a muffled "Juvia is coming!" from inside a few seconds before the door opened and Gray found himself face-to-face with his date.

Gray had to admit, Juvia was looking good tonight. She wore her hair down (which Gray preferred, though he would never admit it), held out of her face by a white headband, rather than the curls it had been in earlier that day. Instead of her usual sea-blue and white outfits, she wore a fancy-looking light blue blouse and a white skirt, just short enough that the bottom half of her guild mark could be seen. Juvia waved and smiled in greeting. "Good evening, Gray-sama!" she said, giggling the slightest bit.

_C-cute… _Gray suddenly realized he had been staring at her for several seconds. "Oh, uh, hey. Ready to go?" Juvia nodded and _m-hm_ed in response, stepping out of her doorway, locking the door behind her, and likewise locking herself on Gray's arm. Gray noticed that her grip was more natural than her usual obsessive cling. Neither Gray nor Juvia seemed to notice, but as they began to walk toward the ice cream shop, Gray leaned ever-so-slightly into Juvia.

It occurred to Gray that Juvia had put effort into looking nice for their date. Deciding he should acknowledge this, he stated, "I like your shirt. Sky blue looks good on you."

Juvia again giggled and replied, "Thank you. Juvia has been saving this outfit for a special occasion."

Despite frequently receiving Juvia's affections, he couldn't help but be touched at this.

* * *

Gray and Juvia arrived at their date spot soon afterward. Both ordered a triple-scoop bowl- Gray with tutti-frutti ice cream, Juvia with orange sorbet- and sat at a two-seat table next to the wall. Behind Juvia sat Erza, who, to disguise herself, had requipped into a men's business suit, complete with a top hat to hide her long hair and a fake goatee. She faced away from Gray and Juvia's table, which helped Gray push the thought of her out of his mind.

Juvia began their conversation with a timid "Um…" She looked down and shifted in her seat slightly. "Does Gray-sama think Juvia has been acting oddly tonight?"

Gray thought about it, then answered, "Not especially. I guess you have been acting differently, but it's probably closer to what other people define as 'normal'."

Juvia smiled in relief. "Oh, good! Juvia has tried her best to be on her best behavior tonight. Juvia knows she can get overexcited sometimes… She does not want to embarrass Gray-sama!"

Never a fan of dishonesty, Gray replied, "What, embarrassed? I regularly wind up nude in public! We're Fairy Tail wizards, for cryin' out loud! 'Normal' isn't in our vocabulary!" Both he and Juvia laughed at this statement. Gray continued, "Look, I appreciate the thought, but I don't want you to think you have to change who you are for me." He was reminded of Erza's earlier words._ I think you should let things run their course. If Juvia loses interest in you, then so be it. If not, who knows?_ As if on cue, Business Erza turned toward Gray, gave him the same disconcerting wink from earlier, and turned back away.

Gray considered Erza's earlier advice for a moment, then made a decision. He scooped and swallowed a spoonful of ice cream. "So what do you say we just let things run their course? Let's forget pretenses and just try to have a good time."

Juvia nodded excitedly. "Juvia agrees!"

Gray laughed. This was getting off to a good start. To begin their 'pretense-less' date with some small talk, he asked, "So, did you see this month's issue of _Sorcerer_?"

* * *

To the casual observer, it would seem amazing how _naturally_ the evening had proceeded. Gray and Juvia's conversation ranged from the Healing Magic article in _Sorcerer_ to recent missions to favorite vacation spots. After finishing their ice cream, they went for a casual walk through Magnolia. On a whim, they stopped at a clock shop neither of them had seen before. Juvia fell in love with a reasonably-priced, thin-strapped women's wristwatch with a snowflake design; Gray, being the gentleman, bought it for her.

Before either of them knew it, the day was coming to an end; the sun had long since set, and according to Juvia's new watch, it was approaching midnight. Gray walked Juvia back to her apartment.

"Thank you for the ice cream and the lovely gift, Gray-sama! Juvia had so much fun tonight."

"Don't mention it. I had a good time, too." Gray released Juvia's hand, which he had been holding with her fingers intertwined in his own. Suddenly remembering Natsu and Levy's arrangement, Gray asked, "So, what do you say to dinner Sunday night? I'll take us to a nice place, my treat."

Juvia replied, "Oh, that sounds wonderful!"

"Cool. How about I pick you up here at 5 that afternoon?"

Juvia nodded.

"Alright. See you then." Gray leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Juvia let out a tiny giggle, said one last goodnight, and went inside.

Gray began to make his way from Fairy Hills back to his own home. As he turned the first corner, he spotted Business Erza leaning against the wall, giving him an "_I told you so_"_ so_ kind of smile.

It was at that moment that what had just happened finally registered with Gray. His face instantly became redder than even Natsu's strongest flames. He pointed an accusational finger at Business Erza. "N-N-Natsu and L-Levy d-d-don't need details!"

To his partial relief, Business Erza only made a "_my lips are sealed_" motion with two fingers before taking her leave. Gray, partially embarrassed, partially elated, and wholly confused, walked back to his home. He couldn't figure out what would lead him to give a… _public display of affection_ to Juvia.

He thought back to the events of the evening. Once he opened both Juvia and himself up to having a good time, he'd enjoyed every minute he spent with her. Something in his gut told him that he wouldn't have been as happy spending time with anyone else the same way. He recalled how he had instinctually held her hand in his for most of the evening. He realized that for no one else would he have bought that watch.

_I don't believe this,_ he thought, as worried as he was excited. _I think I'm falling for Juvia._

* * *

**A/N: Whew! Sorry for the delay in updating. This chapter proved troublesome, especially the first half or so. The conversation at the beginning (particularly Carla's part) was added last minute. I wanted to develop Juvia at least a little before the first date. This is largely a Gray-centered fic, but we will see some development for Juvia, especially next chapter when we get her take on the first date. Also, I had a LOT of fun writing the date scene. I don't know why. Hehehe. It probably had something to do with Business Erza.**

**As always, pointing out typos/inconsistencies is greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!**

**EDIT 8/15/14: Extended a scene toward the end to improve flow to the next chapter.**


	3. Mind, Matter, and States of Each- Part 1

**A/N: Here's Chapter 3! It was originally going to be a bit longer, but it got too long, so I decided to cut it into two smaller-than-usual chapters (hence the Part 1 in the title).**

**I'd like to dedicate this chapter to pikacutie25, who is amazing and has managed to put up with my nonsense for over a year. Thanks for being awesome and letting me bounce story ideas off ya! 3**

**Okay, a quick note: this chapter frequently switches perspective between Gray and Juvia. Roughly every transition is like this, and I tried to make it as clear as possible who was speaking after each transition, but let me know if any part is confusing.**

**More info after the chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Mind, Matter, and States of Both (Part 1)**

"Sorry, Natsu, a deal's a deal!" Levy shrugged sarcastically.

"Aw man… I was looking forward to Mira's delicious fire…" Natsu moaned.

The morning after the date, Erza met with Mira, Levy, Natsu, and Happy to give her report. Levy and Mira were ecstatic to hear that the date was a success; Natsu, on the other hand, was only disappointed that he wouldn't be getting his gourmet fire-food. When Mira and Levy pressed for more details from Erza, the requiper refused.

"As a third party in this affair, I am not at liberty to discuss details irrelevant to the wager. I gave Gray my word on this," she stated professionally.

Levy pouted, knowing that Erza wouldn't budge. Mira declared, "We'll just have to ask Gray next time we see him. Is he here yet?"

Levy scanned the hall but found no sign of the Ice-Make mage. She noticed Juvia chatting with Lucy and Lisanna and asked, "Could we ask Juvia herself?"

Natsu shook his head and waved his arms in an "X" formation furiously. "No way! Juvia would get really angry if she found out about what we did. She'd probably think we set the whole thing up, knowing her imagination. Not that I'm scared of her or anything, you know, just… looking out for her feelings, is all."

Levy rolled her eyes. "Right… Erza, any idea where Gray is?"

Erza shook her head. "Last I saw him was just before midnight, heading back to his house. He is probably tired from being out so late. I'd expect him to arrive in an hour or two."

Natsu stood up from his seat on the floor and stretched. "Well, I'm off, you guys. Have fun waiting for Gray. Come on, Happy." He began to walk off before Levy grabbed him by the scarf. He broke free of her grip and readjusted his scarf, shouting, "Hey, what gives?"

Levy wiggled a finger at him. "Remember our wager? We're gonna plan Gray's second date, and you're gonna help."

"Eh, whatever. Fine." Natsu plopped back down in his spot, a rather disgruntled look on his face. "I just hope he gets here soon."

* * *

Several hours passed with no sign of Gray. Around noon, Mira served lunch for the others, complimenting how patiently they waited (some more than others). Eventually, three o' clock rolled around, and Gray still hadn't shown up.

Natsu stood up. "Well, I guess he's not coming today. Ah well, too bad, I'll be seeing you guys la- WHOA!" He was suddenly grabbed by the arm by Erza and stopped in his tracks. Natsu moaned, "Aw, come on Erza, how much longer do we have to wait?!"

Levy suddenly got an idea. "Not any longer. We're going to go find him." She marched out of the guild hall, followed by Erza (who was still dragging Natsu), Mira, and finally Happy.

The group made their way to Gray's house and were surprised to find the door halfway open. Fearing something was wrong, they ran into Gray's room. What they found, though, was something none of them expected.

Gray was lying at an unnatural angle on his bed. An oval ring of ice coated the center of the floor. Gray's bed was made and he wore the same clothes from the previous night, as though he hadn't slept properly at all.

Natsu walked up to Gray, picked him up by the shoulders, and shook him awake. "Oi. Gray. What's up with you? Was your date that bad?" He let go of the ice mage, who slumped to the ground.

"Ugh…" was the only response.

Mira picked Gray up, putting one of his arms over her shoulder, and helped him to his bathroom. "Gray, do you think you're well enough to take a shower? I think that might help."

Gray, who was slowly coming to his senses, nodded. "That sounds nice…" He managed to stand up on his own and close the bathroom door after Mira went back in the bedroom.

* * *

"That is such a sweet thing for him to say!" Lisanna said excitedly.

Juvia was filling Lucy and Lisanna in on the events of the previous night. Since hearing Lucy's account of "the big question" from two days prior, Lisanna was as anxious as Lucy to know how the date went. The two found Gray's "run their course" speech particularly moving.

Lisanna pressed for more details. "So what happened then?"

* * *

About twenty minutes later, Gray came back out, looking much more awake and wearing a fresh pair of pants (and no shirt). "Thanks, guys," he said, sitting down on his bed next to Levy. "So what brings you here?"

"You never showed up to the guild hall today. We wanted to ask you about your date!" Levy replied.

Gray blushed. "How much did Erza tell you already?"

Erza replied, "Only that you and Juvia had a wonderful time, and about my brilliant disguise." She gave him a third disconcerting wink.

Levy shook her clenched hands in a pleading way. "Come on, Gray! We need details! Erza's being a killjoy and not telling us anything."

Gray rested his head in his hands. "Well, after ice cream, we went for a walk around town. Nothing special. We stopped in a clock shop neither of us had seen before. I bought Juvia this watch she liked. It wasn't expensive or anything."

Mira, Levy, and Happy all "aw"-ed at this. Happy added, "You liiiiike her…" Gray, without commenting or changing his facial expression, hurled a pillow at Happy, hitting him dead on and catching the pillow on the rebound.

* * *

Juvia showed off her new watch to Lucy and Lisanna. Lucy whistled and said, "Wow, what a nice gift! It really suits you."

Juvia looked down at the watch and smiled. "Thanks. Juvia likes it because it reminds her of both water and ice…"

"It's a perfect thing for Gray to get you then!" Lisanna added. "So what happened next?"

"It was getting late, so we started heading back to Fairy Hills to drop her off. Since I enjoyed myself, and clearly Juvia did too, I went ahead and arranged our dinner on Sunday."

Levy shot a malicious grin at Natsu, who was beginning to seriously worry about his role in the upcoming date.

Gray continued, "So we said goodnight and… I, uh…"

* * *

Lucy and Lisanna's excited squeal drew the attention of several tables around them. The two self-consciously quieted down until the attention was off of themselves.

Lucy was the first to speak back up. "I knew he liked you back, Juvia!"

"And he asked you on a second date!" Lisanna pointed out.

"I didn't think he had it in him."

All three women turned with surprise to find Gajeel sitting at the far end of their table, munching on a large metal pipe. Pantherlily was of course with him, sitting on the table eating a cup of kiwi yogurt.

"How long have you been here?!" Lucy demanded. "And what all did you hear?"

Gajeel snickered. "A while. And just that the stripper finally manned up and went out with Juvia. At the volume you two are freakin' out at, I'm surprised everyone in the hall hasn't heard you."

* * *

It took Levy and Mira several minutes to calm down after hearing about Gray's "final act" of the date. Gray spent the entirety of those minutes with his face stuffed in the pillow he had thrown at Happy earlier.

"Well, that covers the date, I guess." Natsu jabbed a thumb at the ring of ice on the floor. "Care to explain that, then?"

Gray looked at the ring as though he had just noticed it for the first time. He got up and began to unfreeze it as he spoke. "I couldn't sleep last night. I was pacing, and I guess I left a trail without even realizing it."

All three women present wore expressions of moderate concern. Mira spoke up, "Why couldn't you sleep? You weren't… upset about the date, were you?"

Gray sat back down on the bed and sighed. "Promise not to laugh, _Natsu?_" he asked the group, directing the last word at the Fire Dragon Slayer.

Natsu stood up and placed a hand on Gray's shoulder. "Gray, we may fight a lot, but I can be serious when somethin' serious is up."

Gray smiled in appreciation, then regained his embarrassed grimace at what he was about to say.

"I… think I'm falling for Juvia."

Everyone stared- partially out of shock, and partially to see how Natsu would react. After a few moments, Natsu (unsurprisingly) began to laugh his head off. This was met with a swift kick to the gut from Gray, which knocked Natsu to the floor.

"Hey, what was-!" The Dragon Slayer began to shout before stopping himself. He thought for a moment before giving Gray an apologetic smile. "I guess I deserved that one, huh? Sorry," he said as he got to his feet.

* * *

"What I wanna know is why the stripper is finally askin' you out _now_ when you've been hittin' on him for so long." Gajeel took a large bite from his pipe.

Juvia went on the defensive. "J-Juvia has not been _hitting_ on Gray-sama! Juvia has only been showing him how she feels!" She gave Gajeel a grumpy pout. "And Gray-sama obviously loves Juvia back! _That's_ why he asked her out!"

A moment of uncomfortable silence followed. Lisanna timidly added, "I have to admit, Gajeel has a valid point… has Gray ever returned your affections before now?"

Juvia turned to her confidently. "It was love at first sight for Juvia _and_ Gray-sama! Gray-sama proved his feelings for Juvia the very day he met her! That is why Juvia loves Gray-sama so- because of what he did for me! Because took away the rain!"

Everyone stared- partially out of confusion at Juvia's answer, and partially out of confusion at her reasoning.

Something finally occurred to Lucy. "Oh, you mean on the day of Fairy Tail's battle against Phantom Lord? Is that when Gray 'took away the rain'?"

Juvia nodded.

"Oh! I've heard about that, but I don't know all the details," Lisanna said.

Pantherlily spoke up. "I have also heard of this battle, but the account I received may have been a bit… biased…" he glanced at Gajeel.

Juvia turned to better face the group as a whole. "In that case, Juvia will explain."

* * *

"I told you, Natsu!" Levy smirked. "And I told you too, Gray! A date would make you realize how great of a gal Juvia is!"

Gray was sitting with his chin in his hands. "You're right. I mean, I guess I already knew she was… I just… Ugh, I don't even know anymore!" He blindly threw his pillow again, once more scoring a direct hit on Happy.

Gray's thoughts were muddled. He had always been calm, cool, and collected- stoic, like the ice he wielded. True, there were a few times in the past when his emotions had nearly overcome him- the death of his family at the hands of Deliora, the loss of Ul, his reconciliations with Lyon and Ultear- but he had managed to pull through it all with a level head. Those were surely events of more consequence than this, and his emotions then were far stronger. Perhaps that was why he had stayed composed through them; his determination to do right and amend past grievances had kept him focused on his goal. With this, though, his emotions were not so much intense as they were mixed, and there was no clear "right" or "wrong" answer. This was about him and his feelings; yes, Juvia's own feelings were involved, but Gray couldn't just feign liking her back to satisfy her. It was his decision.

After about a minute of silence, Gray continued, "It sounds stupid, but I'm just sort of confused about how I'm feeling. I mean, you guys know this, but I've never opened myself up to Juvia before… now that I have, it's like… some sort of self-realization kinda thing, I guess." He shrugged and flopped back on his bed.

* * *

"All Juvia's life, Juvia has been a rain woman. The rain followed Juvia wherever she went, and it kept Juvia from making friends. Everyone was always mean to Juvia. They said the rain was too gloomy…" Juvia hugged her arms around herself, clearly uncomfortable recalling that part of her life.

Lucy reached across the table and placed a hand on Juvia's shoulder. "Juvia, you don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."

Juvia shook her head. "No, Juvia wants to tell. Juvia trusts her friends." She gave a small smile before continuing. "Juvia was never accepted. Her only friends were…" As she spoke, Juvia pulled out a small, ghost-like doll from one of her pockets and presented it to the group.

Lisanna recognized it quickly. "Oh, I've seen those. That's a _teru teru bozu_ doll. They're supposed to bring good weather, right?"

Lucy added, "I remember you used to wear one of those on your jacket before you joined Fairy Tail."

"I thought you got rid of those things," Gajeel remarked.

Looking out the window at the clear blue sky, Juvia replied, "Juvia does not wear these anymore because she does not need them." She put the doll back in her pocket. "But Juvia could never bring herself to throw them away."

Juvia continued her story. "Even with her dolls, Juvia was never accepted until she was found by Phantom Lord. They only wanted Juvia's power, but they made Juvia feel like she belonged. If Juvia had known, she never would have joined them…" She looked apologetically at Lucy.

Lucy, sensing what Juvia was thinking, placed her hand over the water mage's. "Juvia, you have nothing to apologize for. Your emotions were abused by those heartless monsters-" she glanced at Gajeel, realizing too late what she was insinuating. "…in Phantom Lord." Gajeel noticed her glance and gave an unconcerned grunt of agreement. Lucy assumed this meant she had not offended the Iron Dragon Slayer.

Juvia smiled and continued. "Juvia is glad Lucy thinks so. Anyway, Juvia thought she had finally found a home and family." Juvia clasped her hands together and gazed upward dreamily. "Then, during the battle between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail, Juvia met _him_..."

* * *

Natsu yawned and stretched. "So why exactly is Juvia so crazy about you? I mean, I could understand a crush or whatever, but she's bonkers."

Gray shrugged. "No idea. But she's been like that since we met."

Levy had an idea. "Why don't you tell us about that? Maybe we can figure something out."

Gray thought for a moment, then said, "Eh, sure, why not? Here goes…"

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if the chapter seems to cut off at a weird place. It was getting to long to end it at the point I wanted to, so I had to split it. So we get Gray and Juvia's takes on their initial encounter next time!**

**Again, please feel free to point out any typos/grammar errors or any inconsistencies! Thanks for reading!**


End file.
